“That’s what makes our inner city an interesting place to live, because there’s a lot of variety — everything from highrise penthouses to multi-million dollar homes in places like Mount Royal or Elbow Park, to boutique space in places like Hotel Le Germain, to very contemporary chic,” says Richard White, managing director of 3D visualization at Riddell Kurczaba Architecture. “I think that’s what makes it great, because different styles appeal to different people and different price ranges.

“We have a good mix of architecture — everything from the contemporary, like Hotel Le Germain that’s very quirky, to much more traditional — something like the Princeton, with brick and sandstone,” says White, who thinks the city will see a broader range of architectural styles in future, “which is healthy, because that diversity of styles will create more visual interest.”

It’s been a couple of decades since developers began building condominiums in Calgary, and they’re now much more sophisticated about what the local market wants.

“The past decade was all about mega condo developments — such as Keynote, Sasso/Nuera/Vetro, Arriva, Waterfront, Princeton, Five West, La Caille or Stella/Nova/Luna. The next decade will be more about boutique niche condo developments like Drake,” he says.

What White expects to see is more mid-rise condominium developments going up in the inner city — smaller buildings that won’t have the same dramatic impact on the city skyline as highrises, but will instead add density. “It’s much more of a niche market, with infilling of smaller lots, rather than entire blocks.”

Condominium units are also smaller, White says, noting in the past, developers typically built units a minimum of 600 to 800 square feet. In comparison, it is not uncommon today to find units that are only 450 to 650 square feet. “But they’re highly efficient.

“And, the nice thing about small units is they encourage people to go out. All of a sudden, the inner city becomes their living room. The place is alive with activity because people want to get out of their apartments,” he says.

The most striking thing that happened in the last 20 years in terms of residential architecture in Calgary, has been the discovery of the established neighbourhoods and the amount of redevelopment that is occurring within them, says John Brown, associate dean of research in the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design and founder of the international Slow Home Movement.

“I think it bodes very well for the future of the city, because what we’re doing is reinvesting in existing communities.”

Inner-city redevelopment is picking up in Calgary as more people are choosing to live downtown or in established communities that ring the downtown, in redesigned, renovated or even new homes.

“They are desirable, and it’s possible to live well in those places,” Brown says. “It’s important not to abandon those neighbourhoods, but to reinvest in them.”

The benefits are many, he adds, including shorter commutes, plenty of amenities nearby, neighbourhood regeneration and a substantially smaller environmental footprint. By choosing to live in the inner city, they are making a cultural and social investment in Calgary’s well-being.

Attitudes toward atypical housing types have changed considerably in the past few decades, says Brown. In the 1980s, he notes, nobody wanted to buy an infill — that type of housing was relegated to rentals. Now, however, some of the most expensive houses in the city include infills and attached homes.

“The stigma of the narrow-lot urban house has disappeared,” he says. “That’s a relatively recent phenomenon, and it’s a big deal. It means people can have the financial security of knowing they can invest in those types of properties, or build something, and the market will appreciate that and they will get their money back when the time comes to sell.” //

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